Open session of the standing technical committee of the EUFMD- 2004

Conclusion 1. Targeting the innate immune defences, particularly, induction of interferon-α production by natural interferon producing cells (NIPC), has the potential to induce protection against FMD. 2. Mucosal cellular immune response may have a highly significant role in controlling FMDV, and improving current adjuvants for conventional FMD vaccine to induce mucosal immunity may reduce or prevent infection and the development of carrier animals.

3. A synthetic peptide vaccine for FMDV O in swine was reported to be safe and efficient in 2-shot protocol, and as a 1-shot emergency protocol.

4. Use of the peptide vaccine is fully compatible with requirements for sero-surveillance with NSP antibody tests.

5. Human adenovirus 5-vectored FMD vaccines seem as effective as current commercial vaccines in inducing early protection against FMD. 6. Human adenovirus 5-vectored pINF-alpha conferred an antiviral state and complete protection against FMD challenge in swine as early as 1 dpv and for up to 3dpv.

7. The immediate and long-term protection resulting from use of a combination of Ad5-A24 vaccine and Ad5-pIFN-alpha inoculations may provide an important tool to control FMD for emergency situations.

8. FMDV DNA (P1) vaccination in swine followed by an inactivated FMDV antigen and protein 3D boost resulted in higher antibody responses, and may be a more efficient vaccination strategy than single shots of DNA vaccine or conventional vaccines.

9. Specific immune responses to FMDV were significantly enhanced in pigs receiving two P1 DNA vaccinations and a protein antigen boost than a single DNA vaccination followed by a protein antigen boost.

10. A DNA vaccine based on FMDV minigenes can protect against a viral challenge in the mouse model. Protection can occur in the absence of neutralizing antibodies.

Recommendations 1. Research be continued to improve adjuvants for FMD vaccines through novel immunological understanding of effector mechanisms active in control of FMD. 2. Further studies to fully investigate local (mucosal) interaction between virus and host during infection to define the associations of FMDV-induced changes with viral persistence/clearance.

Improving our understanding of this will provide fundamental knowledge to help develop improved strategies for FMD control as well as improved vaccines which are able to prevent the development of carriers.

3. The work on Ad5-FMD vaccine and vectored delivery of antivirals is encouraged to progress to a stage where it can be evaluated in the control of FMD outbreaks in the field.

4. Further work is encouraged on use of DNA vaccination strategies and regimes that incorporate primer/boost regimes. Further work must be done to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the protection observed in pig and mouse systems.

5. OIE guidelines should be developed or revised relating to importation of fresh meat products from vaccinated pigs, from countries that are FMD-free with vaccination.

6. The relevant texts for European countries relating to marketing authorisation of FMD vaccines should be reconsidered to allow authorisation of peptide-based vaccines.

7. An assessment of advantages, disadvantages, and regulatory steps and timetable required in the realisation of the various novel vaccine technologies as emergency tools should be made to guide further investment.

Item 10 - International Issues Dr Keith Sumption informed the meeting of a paper that was adopted by the EUFMD Research Group setting the ‘minimum requirements for FMD serology laboratories’ (Appendix 2). The Research Group also produced a position paper on the establishment of a ‘diagnostic reagent bank’ (Appendix 3) and a paper summarizing the information on the regulations concerning sample transport (Appendix 4).

During the Session on International Issues a presentation from the World Organization for Animal Health was made by Dr Alejandro Schudel, informing on the latest standards and guidelines related to FMD (Appendix 62). The new criteria for OIE listed diseases and notification, the procedures for validation and certification of diagnostic assays, the changes in Chapter 2.2.10 on FMD introducing the concept of virus circulation, the standards for diagnostics and vaccines and the advances made in the validation process for the NSP test for bovines were described as well as the actions implemented by the OIE on the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Diagnosis Goods (UNSCETDG). OIE has proposed to amend the model regulations on the transport of dangerous goods with regard to diagnostic materials from animal origin to be included in Category B and for the 23